Peter & Max: A Fables StoryReview

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Bill Willingham's blockbuster Vertigo series jumps to a new medium.

By Richard George

Peter & Max: A Fables Story is the latest ancillary Fables production from franchise creator Bill Willingham and his merry band of creators. What originally began as a humble Vertigo project has expanded to graphic novels, spin-off series, statues, tabletop art books and now, perhaps most ambitiously, a prose novel. That's a remarkable feat in an industry that tends to coalesce around a core set of concepts, storylines and characters. Fables has also taken a relatively bold step in refusing to resort to standard trappings and routine efforts. One arc is very much different from the next, and the status quo is rarely the same year to year. This has worked to the title's advantage in numerous ways, though it has led to a few rough patches. In Peter & Max, Willingham has rediscovered and recalled some core strengths of his series while engaging his readers in a wholly new manner. And while some elements of the novel don't always hit the notes perfectly, the end product is still a spectacularly engaging and memorable narrative, recalling some of the best moments of its serialized companion.

To put it mildly, IGN has been a strong supporter of Fables throughout much of its life. We've hailed it as one of the finest Vertigo products this side of Sandman and also named it the Best Ongoing Series of 2006. To say we have to resist piling on the praise is an understatement. Of course being in the spotlight has led IGN to look at Fables in the most critical way. Our reviewers weren't so fond of the "Good Prince" arc in its monthly installments and the recent "Great Fables Crossover" was even less popular. But at its core, Fables has never been broken. The foundation and concept at its core is virtually unbreakable. As previously mentioned, series writer/creator Bill Willingham takes risks with his product, switching directions and killing characters to keep anything from getting too familiar. Lead characters suddenly become bit players and abstract concepts that (if we're honest) have no logical place in a fictional setting suddenly appear on the printed page. Change is routine in this franchise. Peter & Max returns to familiar Fables concepts and themes that loyal readers will know and love, the ones that built the franchise to what it is today. That also results in a product that feels strangely anachronistic. The opening chapters are very, very introductory, laying out the scene and concept of the franchise, letting no detail escape description in an effort to avoid alienating those picking up Fables for the very first time.

Peter & Max: A Fables StoryFor a series that has existed for some six years, this is a fairly bold step. Willingham, as he often tells us in interviews, refuses to believe his entire audience has been found. New readers are constantly joining the fold, and so Peter & Max takes the pains to make sure anyone can find their way through Fabletown. To be clear, this is not a mere recap page, but an extended segment of opening chapters. For a longtime reader, this could be quite the chore, but Willingham's skills as a narrator are on fine display here, and while it was hard to resist skimming the opening pages, the way in which Willingham describes these familiar trappings never gets old. Typical descriptions are mixed with humorous side notes and anecdotes, making the mundane history lesson fairly effortless and honestly quite entertaining. For this Fables fan, there was little issue revisiting the core premise. Sure, it was a little hard to resist skimming some pages, but the meat of the story arrives soon enough.

Peter & Max is, quite obviously, a tale of two brothers. Max Piper hails from the familiar tale of the "Pied Piper of Hamlin", better known as the man who played a magical flute to lure rats, and children, away from a small village. Peter Piper is more of a blank slate, simply being involved in the "picking a pickled pepper" rhyme. Longtime Fables characters such as Bigby Wolf and Frau Totenkinder play a role in the novel as do relative newcomers like Bo Peep. But the bulk of the narrative focuses in on the lives of Peter and Max, alternating chapters between the "present" (set a "couple years" before the big events of issue #75 in the series) and distant past, just as refugee Fables were making their way to our world. Peter & Max is at its heart a character study. Peter is immediately established as our lead hero with Max as a more ambiguous foe, looming somewhere in the shadows (which the gorgeous cover amply illustrates). The success of the book largely rests on its ability to make you care about the conflict between Peter and his brother, as well as Willingham's skill at defining their characters and relationship.

To the extent that Willingham creates a stirring, memorable rivalry, there is little to critique. By the end of the book, it will be hard not to be mesmerized by these two individuals and their ultimate fates. Some sequences, both in the past and present, are downright brilliant, and the advantages of a prose medium are clearly demonstrated. Scenes are able to play out at a more leisurely pace, and chapters can cut away to a different moment in time to leave the reader in suspense. And the payoff to some of these cliffhanger chapters is superb. What wasn't as effective was the development of one of the main characters.

With two leads, this novel has a lot riding on a very narrow cast. One of the greatest strengths of the core serial is its wealth of players. When a few fables grow old, or have played their part, the series transitions elsewhere for lengthy periods of time. Moreover, it's rare to have more than two issues linger on one individual, and the result typically works very well. This technique keeps a bit of mystery in each legendary creation, and allows for some stunning revelations throughout the many, many stories. Here, Willingham must completely frame Peter and Max Piper, or risk them coming across a tad one-dimensional. Peter receives that attention, likely because he has little definition from his nursery rhyme. His range of emotions and experiences allows him to have depth. The character is a fantastic lead, full of joy, rage, sorrow and anything between. Unfortunately Max plays out more like a typical B-list supervillain – the ones that laugh maniacally before they attempt to conquer the world. To be clear, Max is a very effective antagonist, and is downright scary, but the guy isn't too memorable. The justification for some of his actions seems to simply be "because he's evil" and though it works in the moment, the older Piper brother screams for more attention. However, to be completely honest, it's hard to notice this fault too often. Willingham's penchant for storytelling all but subverts any shortcomings when it comes to the motivations of his villain.

One problem that has cropped up from time to time in the Fables comic book is pacing. Some arcs are incredibly effective while others plod on for far too long given the medium they use or plot they communicate. Peter & Max backs itself into an odd corner. The story progresses at a breakneck speed, and is thoroughly entertaining the bulk of the time. However this is offset by what has to be considered an abrupt, somewhat disappointing ending considering the amount of time spent building to it. (Don't worry - no spoilers here.) In a sense Willingham was a bit too clever for his own good, and in his desire to find a creative resolution to his story, he managed to partially rob the reader of a satisfying, emotional ending. The short comic book-style epilogue does help slightly, but it's not enough. If I didn't know better, I'd say the core Fables series will pick up some of these threads. That's a notion that pleases the fanboy in me but is a bit of a downer when it comes to the experience of the book.

Peter & Max doesn't completely abandon its comic book heritage. In addition to the black-and-white epilogue that is executed in traditional comic book fashion, artist Steve Leialoha provides illustrations throughout the novel, adding a touch of visual flair to the project. For the most part, these are welcome additions. A few in particular are absolutely stunning. There are only a few rough pieces that stand out a bit, and given the artistic guide that has been established by franchise architect Mark Buckingham, a few of the differences in appearance (most noticeably Totenkinder) stand out poorly. By and large, however, it was a treat to have these subtle, atmospheric flourishes, and more than one is very impressive.

Despite some blemishes in pacing, depth of character and illustration, Peter & Max is still an entirely recommended purchase. It would be a stretch to suggest any faults in this project are more than mere bumps in the road – products of high standards set by years of excellence. Readers of Fables should know this novel pulls in the spirit of the comic books while playing to the advantages of prose, developing a backstory and atmosphere that eludes the vast majority of illustrated stories and comic books. Despite narrowing his cast of characters, there is no doubt Willingham has crafted a memorable adventure here, one that I hope finds its way into the monthly adventures of these refugee fairytales. I dare say Bill Willingham has set yet another standard for himself that will not be easy to surpass – but I hope he tries. Peter & Max has whetted by appetite for Fables novels. I want more.